After a successful career in political journalism, covering stories like the Homoka and Bernardo murder trial and the dismemberment of John Wayne Bobbitt, Jay Rayner turned his attention to becoming a restaurant critic, thinking that fancy food may be a respite from these heavier topics. One of the first things he realizes in his career […]
Cabbage is a versatile vegetable responsible for several side dishes that I enjoy, like coleslaw, sauerkraut, and my favourite of all smelly foods, Korean kimchi. I have never made it myself and I didn’t even like it all that much at first, but having lived in South Korea, I have experienced it directly from the […]
Nearly anything can become more interesting and have a certain sense of allure when found after a time of being lost. Especially when hidden away from public eyes for some reason, as if concealing secrets, like the X-files have done with the government’s involvement in U.F.O. cover-ups. A book by Mark Kurlansky, The Food of […]
In the world of publishing, Jason Epstein, who sat as editorial director of Random House for many years, is legendary for his revolutionary ideas in the book business. But he is also full of pithy advice for anyone who dabbles in the kitchen, such as, “Let your taste be your guide” and “Recipes should be more […]
As Ontarians, are we supposed to take pride in or offence to the nickname of Hogtown for our provincial capital? What are we supposed to think about that section of the city known as Cabbagetown? Is there any deep meaning behind these blatant food references? Editors Christina Palassio and Alana Wilcox have compiled a collection […]
Watching celebrity chefs on the Food Network can be as addictive as eating your favourite foods. Television has brought the entertainment value of food from visceral to visual, even though it is quite paradoxical that an entire network serves up mouth-watering dishes that viewers will never eat. Although it may all be just a tease, […]
Raw fish. I often wonder how it became such a trendy meal. We can thank the Japanese for sharing their taste for uncooked seafood and making it is easy for diners anywhere in the world to get their fix on glistening slivers of silky smooth fish pressed over rice and adorned with wasabi and pickled […]
Vancouver-based publishing company, Summit Studios, launched a new book in its series of humorous travel anthologies in 2009. This newest offering, Never Trust a Smiling Bear, continues with the theme of its four previous volumes, which are all subtitled “True Tales to Make You Laugh, Chortle, Snicker and Feel Inspired.” My travel story entitled The Name […]
I am hesitant to read a book that seems to be an outlet for complaining about restaurant customers. I spend my fair share of time in restaurants and I don’t want to hear about the things I’ve been doing wrong all these years. Those who don’t like negativity with their dinner be warned that the […]
Kitchen bookshelves have never seen a cookbook like this before. No Julia Child or Bobby Flay in sight, but watch out for Fidel Castro and Kim Il Sung alongside recipes of their respective countries. Those looking to keep political conversation alive over dinnertime, Cuisines of the Axis of Evil and Other Irritating States is the […]